My sister

    • Gold Top Dog
    I think it's so easy for people with health problems to get into sort of a downward spiral.  They don't feel well, they get meds, the meds make them not care or feel like doing anything, and then they physically feel worse and weaker.  It's probably really difficult to see out of the darkness and might take the help of the Dr's and family to motivate her.  I know I'd mentioned my friend with all the back problems and how depressed she got thru the months of pain and being laid up. I was really more worried about her mental state than the back problem.  She had the surgery in Nov. and slowly has gotten better and better.  Her outlook is 100% different too, but I don't even like to think what would've happened if she hadn't gotten some relief from the pain. [:(]
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    Dyan - being over in this section of the forum got me to wondering about your sister.  How is she doing?  Have they found the right combination of meds for her yet?
     
    Joyce
    • Gold Top Dog
    Thank you very much for asking Joyce...how sweet!
     BUT the answer is no...but they did get her off OxyContin, thats a good thing.  And her regular doctor doesn't want her going to the Pain Clinic where they were giving it to her.  However, the regular doctor is probably the one that has her on all the other drugs.  
    Just tonight she told me that the pain patches she is not using, are supposed to help for something like 5 days...and she had to take one at 3 and 1/2 yesterday. She still is falling asleep as soon as she sits down anywhere.  She finally made the appt for her colonoscopy....its the last week in Sept. And the swelling in her legs went down quite a bit...but she says they hurt as much now as before.  So thats not good.      
    Not  sure where we go from here.  
    Thanks again for asking!
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    Gosh.  That sounds just miserable. Fingers and paws will be crossed that the colonoscopy goes OK and nothing turns up there ... and that they can find something that makes her  more comfortable without turning her into a zombie.  Could the falling asleep so easily be a form of narcolepsy?
     
    Joyce
    • Gold Top Dog

    fuzzy_dogs_mom
    Gosh.  That sounds just miserable. Fingers and paws will be crossed that the colonoscopy goes OK and nothing turns up there ... and that they can find something that makes her  more comfortable without turning her into a zombie.  Could the falling asleep so easily be a form of narcolepsy?
     
    Joyce

     

    She does have a little of that I think Joyce....she used to fall asleep driving home from work a few years back. At first we thought it was because she did work in conceirge at night at a hotel....but realized it was not just because of that.  

    Thanks for the good wishes.

    • Gold Top Dog

    A little update about my sister....I talked with her this morning. She is getting more and more angry at the world....but I think it may be because she is still in pain...still in the same boat she was but I have a horrible feeling that other people are loosing patience with her a bit.     She said to me this morning...I get tired of hearing people say of all they are doing...when I can't do anything.  She doesn't know that people are tired of hearing her only talk about the pain she is in and how she can not do anything.    I try to get her to do some email....she doesn't want to. She says its because she doesn't have time. However she is on the phone all the time. I hate to call her because pain is all she talks about.  She has excuses for everything. SHe is complaining now about all the summer decorations and things she has outside...and the weather is turning. I told her NOT to do that stuff outside,,,she couldn't take care of it to begin with,,,had someone coming to help her and now she needs to take it down. All she says is.."you don't understand,,you just don't understand!"     My brother ( who lives if Florida while we live in Ohio---and is no where around her but talks on the phone with her once in a while ) suggested she go to his wifes othopedic surgeon  because he helped her.   She made an appt.   The doctor is over an hour and a half away from her, and she can't drive there. It was stupid..there are so many good doctors here...my DH went to one and had surgery.    But.................................    

    I just don't know what to do or say. I am at the point that even though I love her and feel sorry for her,,,I don't want to talk to her.   I avoid talking to her as much as I can. I want to call her every day to let her know I love her and think of her...but she talks pain....that is all. She doesn't let you hang up without listening for over an hour about her pain and suffering and feelings.    How can anyone possibly want to talk to her.  I sure wish I knew.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Maybe an alternative medicine approach to pain:  acupuncture, meditation who knows they may offer her a different focus,  sorry for not being on the ball about the PT reference (occupational hazard in the world of education where we live by initials)

    • Gold Top Dog

    Gosh Dyan, I went thru the same thing with my sister and it seemed that others could never truly understand or care enough about her to satisfy her. It's so frustrating and if your sister is like mine was, trying to tell her that you love her but want to talk about more than pain and misery will only upset her more. My sister would've said something like "well fine, then if I upset you, then just don't call me" *sigh*   Not everyone who is suffering or in pain feels that it's all they have to talk about. My good friend who had the back surgery last year (and still has pain) tries very hard not to let a conversation go on too long about it.  She'll say "let's talk about something more pleasant".  I'm afraid I don't have any suggestions for you but wanted you to know that I understand how you feel and if it helps at all, I really do think your calls to her and listening to her woes probably help in some small way.

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    I wish I could get her interested in a different focus.... I have been trying for a long time. She just has an answer for everything.  I kind of give up on all that....and much of it she has tried herself.   I believe with everything I have that if she had her husband,,,her daughter...or someone to keep her busy in general...that she would feel so much better. My brother got her going to a Christian counselor...and that helps for a couple of days..her attitude is so much better for a few days....but then when she hits the weekends...she fall fast.  

    I'm glad to have you answer Cathy...its good to have someone that understands what I am saying even though you don't really have an answer.   Unfortunately..she LOVE a captive audience...and she really uses her pain for it.  That is what really bothers me....I know she is in pain...but if she weren't,,,,she would still be having complaints of some sort.

    On a different note...I am so mad at this forum.  I wrote this post this afternoon about my sister...two people replied and I did not get a notification or email to tell me that.  I am so disgusted here.... I have to keep remembering what I posted on because I just do not get notifications to remind me of the conversations that I am in.....especially aggravating on the ones that I started!!!